Hair clip or clasp



Feb. 16, 1937.

A. M. WHITNEY HAIR CLIP OR CLASP Filed July 5, 1934 Inventor A. N.Whifn'ey [arena Feb. 16, rear film R CHAS? Alvin M. tne Bradford, Pa,assignor of one-fourth to George a. Zillairo, an a Application any 5,1934, Serial No. 733,923

1 Claim.

Myinvention relates to an improved hair clip or clasp, and an importantobject of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which willnot readily come loose from the hair, whether the device be in locked orin unlocked condition.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide a strong andserviceable device of the character indicated which is very easilylocked and very easily unlocked by the wearer, and which will ordinarilyremain secure in the hair and will not be displaced by wind ormovementsof the headgear.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from areading of the following description in connection with the drawing,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodimentof my invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure 1approximately on the line 2-2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 generally designatesthe device of the invention which as shown in Figure l is composed of asingle piece of flat bar material, of the metallic or compositioncharacter usually employed for this type of device. If desired thedevice of the invention may be made of several different materials andnot in a single piece as shown.

As shown the device is composed of the fiat relatively straight baseportion 6 which is slightly thickened at the point indicated by thenumeral I and slightly hollowed out as indicated at 9, with wings l0, llextending above the bar 6 and leaning inwardly as indicated at l2 toprovide the seating grooves 13 to receive the narrowed portion I4 whichis slightly thinned so as to pass between the ears III, II and seat inthe grooves l3, l3 below the inwardly leaning portions I! so as to betensioned therein and required to be snapped into place and snapped outof place. The portion [4 has the upturned part I! which leans upwardlyaway from the top of the bar 6 outwardly of the ears l0, ll, providingmeans whereby the insertion of the finger nail or some other objectbetween the bar 6 and the member IE will cause the part M to snap out ofnesting tensioned relation with the ears I 2, I2 and the hollowed outportion 9.

The narrowed and thinned portion I4 is located on the outward end of theclamping bar which is generally designated l6, being immediately locatedon a straight portion II which merges into a curved portion l8 whichmerges into a curved portion I9 engaging the top of the bar 6, which in.turn merges into another outwardly curved portion 20 which in turnmerges into an outwardly curved portion 2! also engaging the top of thebar 6, which portion 2| merges into a loop portion generally designated22 which has the part 23 thereof curvedly joined to the end of the bar6. The portion 23 is relatively thickened so as to provide a rigid andstrong and forceful spring keeping the gripping portions l9 and 2! aswell as the portion ll of the clamping arm l6 engaged with or urgedtoward the bar ii, so as to provide adequately secure means for engagingthe device on the hair without the assistance of the locking meansformed by the engagement of the portion I4 with the ear equipped portionof the bar 5; so that while it is in the unlocked condition, the springtension on the clasping effect willbe adequate in ordinary circumstancesto hold the clip or clasp on the hair of the wearer. Of course, thelocking feature provides positive assurance of the clip remaining inplace on the hair until the locking feature has been opened ordisengaged.

It will be obvious that grasping the bar end 24 and the member 15between the fingers and pressing the same together will effect lookingor snapping of the locking arrangement together, while an equally simplemanipulation comprising separating the bar end 24 and the member I 5will efiect opening of the locking feature, and no other actions willopen or look the device which would be encountered in wearing the deviceof the invention.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in materials and in the structure and in arrangementof parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of thesubjoined claim.

What is claimed:-

A hair clasp comprising a first bar and a second bar, means at the freeend of the first bar embracing and engaging the sides of the second barfor holding the free end of the second bar in engagement with the firstbar, comprising oppositely disposed upstanding lugs on the second bar ofa length greater than the width of the bar, said lug being directedinwardly at the point of connection with the second bar and flaredoutwardly at their upper surfaces to a width greater than the width ofthe first bar.

ALVIN M. WHI'INEY.

